Overnight Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes
These healthy overnight oatmeal cinnamon pancakes make for a quick and fuss-free morning thanks to night-before prep. They are also hearty and delicious!
I bet you didn’t know you’d be getting a world famous recipe by visiting here today.
Yep. It’s true. All because I love you.
Ok, and also because I have a really awesome sister who has perfected this pancake recipe and is famous in all corners of the world (ahem, Wyoming) for it and I’m pretty sure she has people lined up outside her door in the mornings waiting for these hotcakes to flip off the griddle.
So maybe it’s only her three boys, but still. Lines are lines.
Not only that, she actually won a recipe contest for these babies, too! Convinced you need to make them?
Well, if not, let me just further sweeten the deal by telling you that these pancakes have stolen the pancake show in our house over the last few weeks (after I gave my sister a stern lecture about waiting years to share the recipe with me – canyouevenbelieveit!) which is saying a lot since this oatmeal pancake mix and these blender whole wheat pancakes are extreme staples in our breakfast rotation.
The beauty of this recipe – and it’s going to save my bacon on hectic, get-your-cute-little-behind-out-the-door-to-school mornings – is that the batter is mixed up the night before.
It needs the essential overnight rest to thicken up and create the hearty, tender pancakes. But it also makes the next morning absolutely quick and fuss-free.
Preheat your griddle, slap some pancake batter on there (all the while congratulating yourself for even making pancakes in the first place) and cook them up to golden deliciousness.
These pancakes are a game-changer. We can’t get enough!
And as you can see, most normal people pour a touch of syrup on their pancakes and call it good, but when I really want to woo my kids, we go straight for the nutella.
Haven’t you seen the advertisements of the perfectly put together mom slathering her kids’ breakfast toast in nutella for a healthy breakfast regimen? Dude, I’m buying it big time.
Except for the put together part. You don’t want to see me in the early morning hours. Triple threat scary.
However you choose to serve these healthy, tasty pancakes they’ll be wonderful. Promise!
One Year Ago: Homemade Chocolate Syrup for Chocolate Milk
Two Years Ago: Grilled Rosemary Buttermilk Chicken
Three Years Ago: BBQ Pulled Pork Sandwiches {Slow Cooker}
Overnight Oatmeal Cinnamon Pancakes
Ingredients
- 2 cups (200 g) quick oatmeal
- ¾ cup (107 g) whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ¼ teaspoons cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ cup (85 g) honey
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 ½ cups buttermilk (see note)
Instructions
- Prepare the batter the night before you want to make these! In a large bowl mix the oatmeal, flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg. Add the honey, eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk and mix until the batter is well-combined. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap (or mix it in a container with a lid) and refrigerate overnight.
- The next morning give the batter a good, quick stir to combine. It should be fairly thick.
- Heat an electric griddle or skillet on the stovetop over medium-low to medium heat. These pancakes need to cook for longer than traditional pancakes so you don't want the pan so hot they burn.
- If needed, spray the griddle or skillet with cooking spray. Drop 1/4 cup rounds of batter into the preheated griddle or skillet. Let them cook for 2-3 minutes until the edges are very set and bubbles are popping on the surface (again, make sure your griddle isn't too hot or the bottoms will burn for this length of time). Quickly slide a flat spatula underneath and flip the pancakes making sure they are set before flipping. Cook for another minute or so until they are cooked through. Serve warm with desired pancake toppings (or nutella, in our case)!
Notes
Recommended Products
Recipe Source: adapted slightly from my awesome sister, Em
I make these for my kids and they love them! Kids are 10, 9, 6 and 4 so to find something they all like is tricky. It makes a super quick morning breakfast when you make them the night before. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I needed a good whole grain breakfast for Thanksgiving morning, especially with it also being my daughter’s birthday. I made exactly 16 using an ice cream scoop to measure it out.
Hello, it’s me again.
I wanted to share that the dry ingredients will fit in a pint-sized mason jar! I mix all the dry ingredients together first, then put it in the jar using the mason jar funnel and poking down the mixture with a spoon or knife to get it all to fit. Now it’s even more convenient! It may have fit because I weighed the main dry ingredients: 160g oats, 90g whole wheat flour, 25g brown sugar instead of honey (I cut back on the sugar amount because we pour syrup on our pancakes). This time it made 12 using an ice cream scoop, not 16 like last time, but everyone was satisfied 🙂 Thanks again for sharing this recipe!
I just saw that you added weight measurements since the time I printed the recipe. I went by the packaging to determine what weight I used to put in the jar. Once I finish up the batches I made up, I will give those weights a try to see if they fit, because 16 pancakes is better than 12 :-). Either way, it’s good to know that it’s a very flexible recipe.
Oops! I had written up a comment before, but it didn’t post!
I had come here to tell you that I put 160g oats, 90g ww flour, and 25g brown sugar along with the other dry ingredients, mixed it together and put it in a pint-sized mason jar. I went by the measurements of the ingredient packages, so maybe that’s why it fit and only made 12 pancakes than 16 from last time. It helps to mix it all together first and then use the mason jar funnel to put it in. Poke it a bit with a spoon or a knife and it fits. THIS IS A WONDERFUL RECIPE
I made this recipe last night using flavored instant oatmeal packets I had on hand. I put 1/4 less of buttermilk to ensure they weren’t too runny in the morning. This morning the kids devoured them! They are not big fans of oatmeal in general, but they couldn’t tell these were packed with oatmeal. Great recipe! Thank you for sharing! I plan on refrigerate the left over made pancakes and warm them up in the morning.
I have made this several times since my daughter was in high school. My daughter is now married and she asked me for this recipe. I was not sure were my hard copy was since I had not made it in about a year. Luckily I found it. This is the only recipe she’s ever asked for. My family loves this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
F. Melchor
The best oat based pancake recipe I’ve tried but there were mixed reviews in my household (loved by me, disliked by hubby, and little one thought it was just ok). The batter was very runny in the morning, I used quick oats and buttermilk made with lemon juice. I think using a yoghurt based buttermilk would have achieved the proper consistency overnight. I ended up having to add a bit more flour (1/4 cup more flour and 1/4 tsp more baking soda to thicken it). After that, they griddled beautifully on medium low heat exactly as described. They’re denser than normal pancakes but not by much and they make a wonderful pre-gym breakfast!
Are quick oats the same as 1 minute oats?
I think the 1-minute oats are instant oats which are not the same as quick oats.
Yeah I’m a little confused. I was at the store and one box of oats said 1- minute, another said quick 1- minute and another says quick 3- minute haha. I didn’t see just a quick oats lol. There’s old fashioned? Do you use Quaker brand? And do they have just quick oats? Ha
Ugh! Too many choices! I have a round container of Quaker quick oats in my pantry so I know they make them. I’m traveling right now and not at home but when I get back next week I’ll take a look at the container and see the exact description.
I made these for breakfast today. I was skeptical because I didn’t have quite enough sour cream to make the equal parts of sour cream and milk for the buttermilk,but they turned out great anyway. Also, I wasn’t sure it would make enough to feed my family of 6. But these are so thick that you don’t need to eat more than 2-3 each. But Mel, do you really only make one batch for your family?! My kids are young and I imagine once they are older, I’d have to double this. My husband has never waxed eloquent about pancakes before, but he went on and on about these, so I’m guessing they will be making a regular appearance at breakfast.
Hey Bethany – sometimes I 1 1/2 the recipe or make a single batch and serve it with eggs or something else. I have a few kids that aren’t huge breakfast eaters so they only eat one pancake.
Do you have experience substituting egg replacements in any baked goods? Or these pancakes?
I don’t – I’m sorry Brittnee!
I made these last night and baked this morning. They are To Die For! my picky 3 year old devoured them. I made them with the yoghurt buttermilk substitute recipe and added chopped apples to the top for added health and taste… I’ve never been so impressed or please with a pancake recipe before! Thank you so much for this make ahead life saver
Hi: these pancakes are a staple in our household, I always freeze the leftovers for quick breakfasts. I have a quick question, I have a 10 month old who is getting acclimated to solids. She loves pancakes and these are so nourishing. Since she can’t have honey yet, I’m wondering if I could sub in pure maple syrup. Should I adjust the amount given its thinner consistency and strong flavor? What would Mel do? Ha!
Mel,
Mel, my family loves these pancakes! Typically I make the batter early in the morning while getting school lunch packed, and then eat them for a “breakfast for dinner” night. Just realized as I was planning our camping trip this weekend that this would be the perfect breakfast for camping – can make the batter ahead of time and keep it in the cooler! I usually mash 3 ripe bananas and add them to the batter right before cooking, along with a little extra milk (and skip the honey). Then we eat them with Nutella. Aaaaamazing!
Just made them and they are OH SO GOOD!
Mel,
I just love these pancakes! I’ve made them several times and they are always a hit! Lately I’ve been using kefir instead of buttermilk and they are just as yummy and tender. Love your recipes.
Sincerely,
Danielle
Just came across this recipe and had to tell you that Emily was my roommate in college and so was your cousin Kate. We had sooooo much fun together and I have fond memories of Emily cooking the most delicious meals for us from your family cook book! Can’t wait to try these pancakes! I’ll eat anything with your family seal on it!
I bet that was a fun roommate trio! Hope you love the pancakes!
I was very excited to try these for my kids, but only had old fashioned oats. I did grind them up a bit before using, but the batter is very runny this morning.
I will try these again with quick oats…love the idea of having the batter ready to go when we wake up! 🙂
Sounds so yummy! I love make ahead breakfast. I am not a morning person. could you use the batter in waffle maker?
I haven’t tried that so I don’t know – you might want to add more oil so they don’t stick to the waffle maker.
I have made these a few times now and they are delicious. Thanks Em and Mel. They are so flavorful as is that there is no need for syrup or any topping. I add milled flaxseed and chia seed for extra nutrition and fiber right before putting on griddle. I love these are made with whole wheat flour. I have been taking them to the office for an afternoon pick me up treat.
These pancakes are very sticky & seem to need some oil or butter to help them off the griddle.
I have made these pancake numerous times with GREAT, adult- and kid-approved reviews! Thanks for another stellar recipe!
I have used the old fashioned oats with success…I just let them rest for 24 hours in the fridge instead of making the night before. The extra time helps with liquid absorption.
Also…if you want to make them gluten-free, I used my Vitamix to make oat flour and subbed for the wheat. Hubby and kiddos didn’t notice a bit of difference!
Kristin, I would love to make these gluten free too! Do you use 3/4 oat flour in addition to the quick oats?
Can I use regular rolled oats as opposed to the quick oats that is called for in the recipe?
You might want to blend the oats just slightly so that they mimic the texture of quick oats (they’ll absorb more liquid that way, otherwise the batter might be too thin).
I accidentally left the honey out and they were just as tasty as the original. Something to think about for all the sugar watching people out there! Love your recipes Mel. We are best friends you just dont know it yet.
We had these for breakfast today. I didn’t have any nutmeg, so I used pumpkin pie spice and 1% milk with a dash of lemon juice. De-lish! Hearty, healthy breakfast. You are right though, the key is cooking low and slow….and Nutella on the top is imperative.
I just wanted to let you know that my family and I really enjoyed this recipe. I made buttermilk because I didn’t have any on hand, used all purpose flour, and added wheat germ. In the morning I stirred them up and added some red food coloring to make them pink (it’s my daughters favorite color). My Husband couldn’t even tell they contained oatmeal. I have an overnight recipe for waffles and crepes and now I found the perfect one for pancakes. Thank you!
Thank you for posting this recipe. Made them last night and the whole family enjoyed them this morning!
These pancakes were our breakfast this morning and they were great! The kids loved them! I love that you make the batter the night before, it made it so much easier!
I do not have buttermilk. Can it be replaced by 2% milk?
Jackie – You need to use some type of sour milk/buttermilk. HERE is a great post about buttermilk substitutions. Good luck!
Mel, what about kefir? Do you think that would work?
Yes, I think milk kefir would work really well here.
I wanted to love these, but there was something that just didn’t work for us. I followed the directions exactly, but this morning (10 hours later) the batter was super super thick. I made a few and they were just huge and took a while to cook so I added more buttermilk. That made them better, but I still had a bit of trouble getting the inside to cook – they puffed up so much. Anyway, I liked the flavor, but they just seemed super heavy. However, nutella makes everything better and my 2 year old thought we were having “cookies” for breakfast so it was still a win!
These were SO good. I used normal oats and the batter was very thick in the morning. I took me a while to find the right temperature to have the pan at (I had to throw some away.) These will be a new regular in our house!
I’ve made these for dinner and 8 hours is plenty of time for the batter- they were delicious! Do you know if I make the full recipe but can’t eat them all could I freeze them and toaster-warm-them-up for later?
Hi Kelli – you could definitely freeze the leftovers. I’m not sure about using a toaster to warm them up but you could try it out (that or a microwave).
Oh my! These are delicious. I love that you can make the batter the night before, which then makes me look more on the ball in the morning than my family ever thought possible. And healthy to boot? You’re a rock star in my book.
really liked these! The kids ate a ton! Thank you for posting this recipe.
My family is eating these pancakes right now. They are fabulous!!
Heya i’m for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It truly useful & it helped me out a lot. I hope to provide something back and help others like you helped me.
My new favorite pancake!!! So easy and so incredibly delicious. And the leftover pancakes toasted up beautifully the next morning. Love these!
We loved these. Now that it’s fall I feel like they are practically begging to be mixed with some pumpkin into pumpkin oatmeal pancakes. Any ideas on how to alter the recipe if I added some pumpkin (ie add some additional flour so it’s not too liquidy?)
Hi Erin – if it were me, I’d just throw 1/2 cup or so of pumpkin puree into the mixture and probably add another 1/4 to 1/3 cup flour.
Just wanted to come back and comment that I made these, and they are hands down the best pancakes I’ve ever served to my family. Thanks for sharing. They are now the permanent recipe for pancake mornings!
Mel – made these this morning and they were awesome! Loved that they could be made ahead and just put on the griddle in the morning. Great flavor and the oatmeal makes them hearty but yet they are still light. Thanks!
I made these for breakfast yesterday and we all loved them. The only change I made was substituting brown sugar for the honey because the hubs is allergic to honey. Love them! We will be making these over and over. Thanks for the amazing recipes! Half of the meals I make come from your site! Thank you!
I made these beauties this morning for my three going off to their first day of school. They turned out great and I used all purpose flour instead of wheat. The electric griddle was about 325 F. It was a hit!!!
Mixed these up last night to make after church this morning. I did add 1/3 c. more buttermilk right before to thin the batter out a little. Also turned down my electric griddle to about 300 F. (I make regular pancakes @ 350 F.) Turned out great, I liked how hearty they were and the touch of spice was nice. Kids ate them up.
We just ate these this morning! They’re delicious! Do you think I could add shredded zucchini to them? I might just be making another batch tomorrow morning!
Becky – definitely worth a try to add zucchini (just make sure it’s wrung out really well so it doesn’t add a lot of extra liquid).
Hi Mel! I made prepared these last night exactly as written and made them this morning. They were delicious! They have a nice texture and they were very moist. My picky 18 month old and 4 year old really liked them. I think I’ll be making these regularly for kids on school mornings. They are quick and healthy.
Just ate these for breakfast – they are phenomenal!! Thanks for the awesome recipe!
These turned out great. I put a few chocolate chips on top and my kids didn’t notice anything different. My husband was suspicious though.=)